Most Rev. John G. Murray (1925-1931)

October 12, 1925, marked the installation of John G. Murray, fifth Bishop of Portland. Bishop Murray was welcomed at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at only forty-eight years of age.

He was born in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1877. He graduated from Holy Cross College with the highest honors ever bestowed on a student of the school up to that time. His record at the University of Louvain in Belgium was equally distinguished. He was later appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Hartford, Connecticut where he served for six years before being appointed to the Diocese of Portland.

Like Bishop Walsh before him, Bishop Murray was keenly interested not only in expanding Catholic education, but also in providing chapels for Catholics in even the most sparsely populated areas. He established thirty new parishes during the time of his pastoral service in the Diocese. The number of Maine children receiving Catholic education increased from 20,000 to 25,559.

Bishop Murray's years in Portland coincided with the beginning of the Great Depression. He set up numerous relief committees to raise money for the homeless and families without job prospects. Meanwhile, ongoing institutions required funding - hospitals, orphanages and homes for the aged - at a time when collection monies had decreased. As a consequence, the Bishop had to acquire loans or mortgage church property. Unfortunately, he accumulated debts that future generations would have to repay.

Despite financial difficulties, Bishop Murray continued his determination to provide what he considered an important facet to Catholic education -- a magazine that would keep people informed of Church history and also current events. As a result, on July 18, 1930, the "Church World" began publication, and it continues to serve the people of the Diocese.

The Portland Diocese marked its 75th Anniversary during Bishop Murray's service and the Cathedral itself celebrated its 60th Anniversary. Despite the austerity of the times, a dual celebration was held on May 20 and 21, 1931, to commemorate these two important anniversaries.

In honor of these events, both the Cathedral and the Chapel underwent renovations. In the Cathedral: new Stations of the Cross made of Venetian Glass Mosaic were installed (6,000 pieces of Venetian Glass were hand-placed in each Station); the Henry Erben Organ was rebuilt and modernized; the exquisitely beautiful High Altar was enhanced; a 45-foot-long communion rail of Carrara marble was erected across the entire front of the Sanctuary; and a magnificent new Pulpit and Bishop's Throne were installed.

In the Chapel three new marble altars were installed. The Tabernacle on the main Altar was constructed entirely of bronze, and the Altar's center panel depicts a beautiful mosaic of the figure of the Paschal Lamb; a new Baptistery was built at the rear entrance, modeled after one in Pietrasanta, Italy. Its door of molded bronze is a miniaturized replica of Ghiberti's Baptistery door in Florence, Italy. The wooden Altar under the replica of the Grotto at Lourdes (which had been a gift to Bishop Healy) was replaced with one of white marble; to the left of the Sanctuary, the Altar of the Little Flower was built of white Carrara marble.

Bishop Murray remained in Portland only for another 5 months following the Anniversary celebrations, and on October 29, 1931, he was transferred to St. Paul, MN, where he served as Archbishop for the rest of his life.